At the turn of the century in the Maritimes, the household supply of
rum and tobacco would be running low by late May. That's when folks in
the coastal ports all around the Maritimes were on the look out for the
first rum runners of the season.

J. Clinton Morrison writes extensively about this seasonal event and
many other fascinating aspects of everyday life in his well-documented,
award-winning books Along the North Shore, volumes one and two.
In third printing, this two-volume social history of P.E.I. Township
11 from 1765-1982 cascades from part one to part five through 672 pages
of well-ordered facts, details, history, genealogy, pictures, maps,
graphics and extensive bibliographic references.

More than 1,000 surnames are included in the 243-page genealogy
section. About 14,000 individuals are indexed by given names and
surnames. A separate 29-page section lists all the sources of
information about particular families, listed in alphabetical order.
This feature is in addition to the 44 pages of bibliographical notes and
nine pages of appendices, the latter including an invaluable listing of
Lot 11 heads of households for varying years between 1798 and 1982.

While the genealogical focus is on Lot 11 in Prince County, P.E.I. the
connections spider out liberally across the entire Maritimes and beyond,
principally to the New England States and southern Ontario.

There are family references to connect with Lunenburg, Queens and
Halifax counties. One example: Francis Walifield (1837-1921) of LaHave
who married Sarah Anne Bushin (1847-1922), a native of Lunenburg County
migrated to P.E.I. on board a schooner carrying hemlock bark for the
local tanning trade. The couple went first to Tignish where one of Mrs.
Walifield's sisters was married. There are also several references to
Cape Breton, including Thompsons in Port Hawkesbury and Johnstones in
River Denys/Blue Mills.

There are dozens of references to families in Kings County, New
Brunswick and dozens upon dozens more in Saint John County.

Even if your family is not mentioned specifically, this is a
valuable addition for its exemplary content, layout, design and
bibliographies.

To Lucy Maud Montgomery of Anne of Green Gables fame, the bustling
town of Stanley Bridge, P.E.I. at the turn of the century "used to seem
quite a town to my childhood eyes. It was the hub of the universe - or
of our solar system at the very least."

Using this quote to advantage, the committee which recently published
the truly excellent History of Stanley Bridge, aptly subtitled it Hub of
the Universe.

Within the 500-plus pages of this well-organized, superbly written
hardcover, there is a ton of invaluable information for family
researchers, history buffs and Island lovers.

One could simply and easily sit down and read it from cover to cover.
Or one could chose to place it on the coffee table and peruse it a
section at a time in quiet moments. Family researchers looking for a
specific reference will be delighted to know the 240-page genealogy
section is fully indexed.

In each of the 11 sections there are photos, illustrations, maps,
reproduced newspaper clippings and text covering every imaginable facet
of the community and area from the late 1700s to present day.

Without reservation, I recommend this book. It is a must-buy for every
Islander with or without family ties to Stanley Bridge. It is an
excellent blueprint for any other group writing a community history.
And, it is a well-annotated treasure of area genealogical data.

Sandra MacEwen, president of the Stanley Bridge Historical Society
advises the book took four years to complete. Judging from the extensive
contents and quality production, it was obviously a busy four years well
spent.

A visit to the Evangeline region of Prince Edward Island is an
enriching experience in history, genealogy and culture.

But before setting out to explore the area of P.E.I. which has most
successfully retained its French identity, pick up a copy of the
Historical Guidebook of the Evangeline Region by Georges Arsenault,
available in both French and English.

This 49-page book will multiply an appreciation of the region by
providing historic, geographic and social context.

French-speaking visitors from Quebec will especially benefit from the
explanation of dialect variations in chapter 11, complete with a
glossary of words and expressions not found in modern French
dictionaries.

Recipe collectors will learn how to prepare chiard, also called
râpure, the region's most popular cultural dish.

History buffs and folks who trace their ancestry to the Evangeline
region will be delighted with the many old photographs, amusing
anecdotes and the succinct background profiles of business, religious
and social activities.